Given the length and breadth of the comment thread in the previous post, I’m not too sure there’s anything that’s been unsaid about the Jarvis Hayes pickup. Nevertheless, he met with the media for the first time as a Piston this afternoon, and I feel compelled to tell you as much. From Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:
Hayes arrives in Detroit after four years in the league. Chauncey Billups became a Piston after five star-crossed years, Rip Hamilton after spending three seasons in Washington, which drafted Hayes 10th in the same 2003 draft that saw the Pistons take Darko Milicic and Carlos Delfino. The career arcs of those and other Dumars reclamation projects weren’t lost on Hayes.
“That definitely was a selling factor for me,” Hayes said. “My first four years have been more about injury. I’m not injury prone, it was just one injury that, unfortunately, didn’t heal correctly until I had the surgery. But I’m past that now and ready to start over.”
Rip Hamilton was never really a reclamation project (he averaged at least 18 points per game his last two years in Washington), but other players, notably Billups and Antonio McDyess, have turned around their career upon arriving to Detroit.
In my latest HoopsWorld column (it went up after I had already left for a three-day weekend, hence the late link), I speculated that Hayes might be “one and done” with the Pistons, staying only as long as to re-build his value and earn a longer contract elsewhere. He addressed that today — from Langlois’ Pistons.com article:
The one-year contract Hayes signed is something of a double-edged sword. While it gives him little long-term security, it does allow for the chance to hit the free-agent market next summer with his reputation and market value restored. Yet Hayes goes out of his way to emphasize that appealing to future employers will not become a distraction.
“I feel I have something to prove, but it’s more than just me,” he said. “It’s about team first. If the team does well, everybody does well. It’s more than just the individual. Of course, I want to get my career back on track. But that’s second fiddle. I want to win first.”
Also, for anyone out there itching to be the first kid on the block with a Detroit/Hayes jersey, Langlois reports Hayes will be wearing No. 9. Get yours today.
It’s cool that Jarvis Hayes had his agent seek out the Pistons to get an offer and was able to sell himself to Joe Dumars after the Pistons thought they were through with the roster. It’s always good to have players that want to be somewhere and I think Hayes is extremely happy to be in Detroit.
yeah it is good to have someone like Hayes. Now if Joe can make one more geniius move that can help us get over the hump and when the ship, then i would be very happy. LET”S GO PISTONS AND LET”S GET THAT SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2007-2008 IT”S TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Wow, creepy nickname lady.
Also, personally I’m disturbed as all get out that nobody else on this forum is as geeked as I am about finally filling our crucial “Backup with a funny shaped head” role for the upcoming season.
DetroitGirl4Life?
Absolutely definately not me. I’m all for a cheap joke but generally I like to make sure at least *I* find my jokes funny before posting.
Like Jarvis Hayes has a head shaped like a bullet. Hilarious imho.
DG4L and PG4L, one of you is a doppleganger. You shall now fight with knives. Winner takes all.
I think this news trumps ole bullet head talk.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0906727/
synopsis here at second link, but it should be easy to guess
http://www.hollywood.com/movie/Ball_Dont_Lie/4234543
Sheed better fire up his lawyers number cause he should have that trademarked by now.
Not knives, make it swords Highlander style. There can be only one!
I can see calling Chauncey and Dice “reclamation projects,” but why have several reporters and Langlois referred to Rip that way? He was doing well in DC.
Also, I see a lot of folks aren’t too impressed with the Hayes signing. Was the mood so cynical when we signed Dice?
oops, I should have signed my comment “PistonzWoman4Eva”
OT: The FIBA Americas website has a lot of good information on the upcoming tournament in Vegas (starts this Wed.). I wish I was near Vegas - you can buy a pass to every game (11 days) for only $149 dollars - that’s a bargain to see the likes of Argentina and Team USA play multiple times. Check out the FIBA Vegas website for more including a ridiculous mascot that looks like a blinged out cross between Grover from Sesame Street and Liberace.
http://www.2007lasvegas.fibaamericas.com/
It will be fun to see Billups and Prince playing competitive ball.
wtf?
JoeJoeJoe– holy hell, I am going to be in Vegas on Labor Day Weekend for a bachelor party- myself and 14 other rabid Pistons fans. Tickets to those games start at $10! I’m trying to talk the whole group into going, I don’t think it’ll be a hard sell…
Matt Watson, if I go, I’ll email you a recap in case you want to share.
PG4L– you, me, high noon, middle of the ambassador bridge, i’ll bring the knives.
Payne: That’d be great — and take some pictures, if possible.
Did you know that they cloned Jarvis Hayes, and named the clone “Jarrett Jack?”
how is jarvis hayes going to take #9 when arron afflalo already has it? check pistons.com.
Well, when Afflalo was introduced, he was given a jersey with No. 8 on it. But you’re right, Pistons.com does have him listed as No. 9.